


New Asgard

by roughknuckles



Series: The New Gods [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Brother/Brother Incest, Brothers, Gentle Sex, Implied/Referenced Torture, Infinity Gems, M/M, Magic, Outer Space, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Scarification, Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-13 03:02:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12974424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roughknuckles/pseuds/roughknuckles
Summary: After the events of Ragnarok, the people of Asgard, and Thor, now see the benefit of chaotic-good, they see that there is a place for Loki.Based in Marvel Cinamatic Universe.(unconscious/indirect) comic book inspired canon: Loki - Agent of Asgard 1-17, Journey into Mystery 622-632, Fear Itself 1-7, Siege 1-4, Loki 1-4 (aka Thor & Loki: Blood Brothers), Thor & Loki - Original Sin 1-5[Can be read as a stand-alone, or as the first part of a series.]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Every Thor movie gives me feels. This time however, after watching Thor: Ragnarok, is the first time I have decided to do something about it.
> 
> Usually I write with a partner. This is the first time I have written solo in about 15 years. Please be gentle.

_Thor._

_Thor._

_Brother._

The god of mischief does not intend to invoke the name in his sleep, but he did. His subconscious is reaching out, seeking protection. Not that Loki in a waking state would ever admit to such a need.

He needed to feel safe. And Thor was good for that. Always had been, since they were infants, born merely days apart, sharing a cot.

To the world outside of Frigga and Odin, they were twin brothers. Thor possessing the dominant traits and Loki the recessive. Thor was born with power.  Loki was not. And so Frigga trained her son in magical arts in order to make up for his lack of natural born abilities.  It was her magic that truly made Loki a prince of Asgard, not an abandoned son of Jotun. It was her magic that made Loki family, a child of her own heart. But as an infant, Loki did not have this magic yet. So when he cried out in the night, it was Thor who instinctively soothed and delighted his brother with electricity and sparks. Comforting each other by speaking psychically, in the way only infants can.

In time, the brothers would learn to use words, and their given names. Yet there was still a strong link between the two, almost-twins. So much so, that as young boys, if Loki cried out at night, Thor would still come to him. But that was when things became difficult. Thor did not know how to comfort his brother, nor did he know why he kept feeling a strong draw to him, all hours of the day or night. It angered Thor. And instead of providing comfort, Thor would throw things at Loki, intimidate him, hit him; anything to destroy the feeling that kept pulling him to Loki, and keeping him in the forefront of his mind.

Meanwhile, Loki did not know that he was unconsciously calling his brother to him. He only knew that when Thor crossed his path, their encounters usually began, and ended, in a fight. Unfortunately, this misunderstanding would continue for most of their lives. Like magnets, both attracted and repelled at the same time. Wanting to be close. But unable to rationalize it, without violence towards the other. They could have killed each other, hundreds, thousands of times over. But never did. And never would.

At their core, Loki and Thor loved the other, and as difficult as each made life for their brother, neither could see themselves without the familiar figure in their life.

And so when Thor is drawn to Loki’s room, he is tired and confused; he does not know why he is here and not in his own bed, deep in sleep. It is his instinct to grab Loki by the hair and pull him out of his bed, pin him against the wall and demand to know what mischief he is up to. But he does not do this, not this time. He knows what Loki will do. He will yield and he will cower just enough for Thor to feel superior, to feel powerful. Loki will refuse to fight back, at least like this. Loki knows he cannot win physical fights against Thor, his preferred battleground is through cunning and manipulation. Their exchanges, their roles, are predictable.

Tonight however, Thor is prepared to try something new.

Placing his hand on Loki’s shoulder, Thor finds his brother to be cold. Like ice. A small reminder of Loki’s origins, born to the darkness and cold on Jotun, and not the warmth and light of Asgard, like Thor. But Thor has never known his brother to be this cold to the touch before, not for as long as he could remember.

So when electricity leaps from his fingers, it is a throwback to when they were infants together, when Thor kept his brother safe and warm.

Loki opens his eyes from his nightmare at the tingling sensation, Thor’s power spreading through his body, warming his skin. The heat is welcomed, but Loki does not say anything, let alone move. This is new, this kindness.

Filling the silence, Thor speaks for them both. “You were cold, brother.” He says and invites himself into Loki’s bed. He presses a hand against the center of Loki’s back, allowing a few more pulses of electricity to pass between his fingertips and into his brother.

“Space is a cold place to dwell.” Loki answered, shutting his eyes to the sight of the window in his room, which looked out into the darkness, sickeningly black space, with few points of reference.

There is silence between them for a few long minutes before Thor slides his hand over Loki’s narrow hip, to hold him in the night. “It is not like you. Where is your magic, to heat the blankets. Where are your quick words.” Thor notes that Loki has made no protest. “Are your words frozen, too?”

Loki smiles to himself, briefly thinking of a way to win, and scare off his brother at the same time. If he tells Thor that yes, his words are frozen, and that he requires Thor’s lips to unfreeze them, then he is certain Thor will strike him with disgust and leave Loki to his bed, alone. But the truth is, he does not want Thor to strike him, and he does not want Thor to leave.

“They are not frozen, my brother.” Loki says eventually. “For once, I have words that must be slowly brewed. They cannot be rushed.”

Thor however has never known Loki to be slow with a lie, or delay in crafting a highly intelligent trap. Unless this was a new sort of deception? Admitting to a struggle? “It is not like you.” He says again.

“Yes. I know.” Loki says with a frustrated sigh.

There is another long silence before Thor speaks again. “What magic spell could take you so long to devise?”

And again, Loki smiles to himself. Thor might be well known for his brute strength, but he is not an idiot. He might not be as clever or creative as Loki, but he was not simple minded; even if some people treated him as such. Thor was no fool, even if Loki called him one, often.

“A magic that I have little experience with, brother. Telling the truth.” Loki admitted, and waited, wondering if Thor would even believe this.

“The truth.” Thor repeated back. “What truth are you trying to speak?”

“One I am not yet able to put to words. One, that you are not yet ready to hear.” Loki answered, then slowly turned in place so that he could face his brother in the bed. Even in the darkness of his room, they could see each other clearly enough. Or perhaps, as clearly as they had ever been able to see each other. “They will not be forced, Thor.” Loki said and began to reach to touch the side of Thor’s damaged face, and the patch he now wore over his eye.

“Loki-” Thor growled in warning, his hand quickly grabbing Loki by the wrist, prepared to break it. Yet, there was no need to. The dagger he had expected to be there, was absent. “Loki. What is your game.” He asked, confused by the lack of danger he was in.

“Do you remember when we were children. Father would send us out into the Nine Realms. We used to fight side by side. Father would only be pleased if we returned with the horns or head of a beast we defeated. Though he considered your bruises and scars with the same high regard as any other trophy we returned with. Mother would heal us at the end of the day.” Thor still held Loki by the wrist, but his fingertips were able to barely brush against Thor’s face. “This loss-” He said, touching Thor on his cheek, just below his missing eye. “It suits you, more than any other.”

Thor considered for a moment if Loki was being cruel. He had lost his eye, his hammer Mjolnir, his friends the Warriors Three, and the All-Father, Odin. But Loki did not speak with unkindness, nor with dry sarcasm. The comment seemed genuine. Although confusing. “Why is that, brother?” He asked, only now letting go of Loki’s wrist.

“It will bring you new insight, and knowledge, as the same loss did for Father.” Loki said, pressing his hand to the side of Thor’s face as he had wanted, now that he was free to do so. “It will balance, and ground you, as King.” Loki said, curling in closer, tucking his head to Thor’s shoulder.

“You call me King? You would bow to me?” Thor asked with a frown, believing that this must be deceit from the god of mischief. Yet even with that belief, he found himself wrapping his arms around Loki’s back, hugging him, holding him while there was peace between them.

“I am bowing to you now, my King.” Loki said, his tone teasing, as if to say: _isn’t it obvious?_

“Loki-” Thor growled in warning, and grabbed his brother by his black hair, pulling his head back so that he could look him in the face. “You would never.” He declared, angry that Loki would present such an obvious lie. It was not like him, at all.

Blinking slowly, Loki had yielded to the violent act, both expecting and enduring it. This part was a game both brothers knew well. It came too easily to them. Thor would get angry, and Loki would surrender. “I will bow to you, my King. And I will prove myself to you, brother.” Loki promised, voice strained at the way his head was pulled back and his neck exposed.

“How?”

Loki swallowed hard. “Give me eleven days. Until the Asgard New Year. I will bow to you. I will prove myself to you. And my words of truth will be ready to be spoken.” Loki whimpered as Thor tightened his grip, clearly not believing him. “Please, brother. You are hurting me.”

This was new, too. Loki never admitted to pain. It was always suppressed by his magic. At least, that is what Thor always thought. But he could be wrong. And if he was, he had been wrong a long time. Slowly Thor released Loki, though watched him for signs of his magic in retaliation. “I do not trust you.”

“I know.” Loki answered, his hand caressed the side of Thor’s face. “Try to be kind to me, until the New Year, brother. It will be easier for me to keep my promise.” Loki said and kissed Thor on the jaw. And despite how Thor had handled him moments ago, Loki once more rested his head against Thor’s shoulder, finding comfort, feeling safe.

Loki would sleep the remainder of the night without nightmares. Thor however would have difficulty sleeping at all. There was too much, and again, too little, which had been said. It activated parts of Thor’s brain he had not used in a long time, which kept him awake for many hours more.


	2. Chapter 2

To the delight of the surviving children of Asgard, a kaleidoscope of butterflies glided through the halls of the spaceship. It was color and life, an innocent delight filling the ship. The beautiful blue butterflies had silver edges to their wings, which made them look like watercolor art come to life, streaking through the air. 

It was magic to hear the children laugh and to see them smile, after enduring their recent hardship. A harmless kind of magic, and a pleasing lie, provided by the god of mischief. 

Loki stood before one of the few wall-height windows of the space ship, looking out into a far off nebula. Thanos was out there. He couldn’t see him, but Loki knew. Loki closed his eyes against his reflection in the glass, a familiar pain of exploding shards in his brain briefly took his breath away. Yes, Thanos was out there. But far worse, in his opinion, were those who stood at his side: Ebony Maw, Supergiant, Corvus Glaive, Black Dwarf, and Proxima Midnight.

“King Loki?” A little boy, Håkon approached the god of mischief from behind. His friend Leif remained close at his side, both encouraging the other to get close to the intimidating man, the brother of Thor. 

“Thor is king now, I do not think Loki is king any more.” Leif whispered into his friend’s ear.

“Prince Loki?” Håkon tried again, not sure how else to get his attention.

Loki had heard this exchange and turned to face the small boys. He smiled at them, amused by how they gave each other courage. “Cannot there be two kings?” Loki asked, teasing their young minds with an alternative.

The boys exchanged a look before Håkon spoke. “No. I do not think so.”

“Why not?” Loki asked, an easy, but harmless smirk resting on his lips.

“Because.” Håkon said, clearly never having thought about why he believed this to be true. 

“Because, there is only one chair for the king. Where would you sit, if you were king too?” Leif asked.

Loki snorted softly. “We could get another chair.”

“Yes, but that is where the queen would sit. If King Thor ever gets a queen.” Håkon said, nodding in agreement with his friend.

“Indeed.” Loki said dryly, then finally crouched down to be at eye level with the two children. “You are right of course, Thor is King. I am not. Now, what is it you wanted?” He asked, showing patience with them.

“The butterflies are all gone.” They said in unison. “Can you make horses?” Håkon asked. “Can you make a dragon?” Leif asked.

“The butterflies are all gone.” Loki repeated back with a raised eyebrow. “You tried to catch them, didn’t you? And they disappeared?” 

“Yes! I caught one, I know I did! And when I opened my hands, there was only a blue cloud!” Håkon said, demonstrating the way he had cupped his hands to capture the butterfly, and how he had opened his hands to reveal nothing inside. 

“Not a cloud, really.” Leif said rationally. “Sort of … like steam, maybe? Like when it is cold outside and you can see your breath. That is what it looked like.” Leif said with a nod.

“Perhaps you were not meant to capture them.” Loki said, looking to each boy in turn. “Perhaps, they did not  _ want  _ to be captured.” He said, prompting the boys to think about what the butterflies would have wanted.

“Oh.” Håkon said and tucked his hands behind his back, feeling sorry that he had tried to capture them.

“We were being careful.” Leif assured. “We didn’t want to hurt them. We just wanted to show our parents.” 

“I believe you.” Loki said, opening his hand, palm up as he produced two new butterflies which slightly opened and folded their wings as they remained in his hand. “I will give you each, one. You can show your parents. And your friends. As long as you do not try to trap them again, they will stay with you. Understood?”

“Yes! Thank you!” Håkon smiled from ear to ear as one of the butterflies landed on the back of his hand.

“Thank you, Prince Loki.” Leif said, as the second butterfly glided around the boy before settling on his shoulder. 

As Loki stood back to his full height, the boys had already run off with their gifts. Children were easy to win over, Loki told himself. 

Thor would not be so easy. 


	3. Chapter 3

The bathroom in Thor’s room was the only private facility on the entire ship. Loki presumed this was because the room was meant to be for the captain of the ship and therefore would have extra privileges. It had been a relaxing 25 minute steam shower followed by 5 minutes of fresh water. A delight. And greatly appreciated.

However as Loki emerged from the bathroom, pulling a robe on over his damp skin, he paused as he caught sight of Thor sitting in the dark, apparently waiting for him.

“What are you doing.” Thor asked. A demand more than a question.

_What does it look like_. Loki wanted to say. But instead continued to pull his robe on over his shoulder so that he retained some left over warmth from his shower. “You cannot expect me to use the communal showers.” Loki said with some disbelief. Sharing with the rest of Asgard? No. Loki was a prince and his naked body was not to be shared, unless he deemed it so. And who knows what filth remained in such common spaces anyway.

Whatever smart remark Thor had been preparing for was left undelivered as he stood and turned on the light in the room.

The brightness ruined the last bit of post shower bliss that Loki had retained. He closed his eyes briefly and sighed with some annoyance. Though by the time he opened his eyes again Thor was standing before him, a dark frown digging into his face.

“What is this?” he asked and pushed Loki’s robe back off his shoulder to expose his bare chest and the scarred skin that he had never seen before.

Loki glared angrily, not because of the touch, but because of the foolish question. “A reminder of how I died, you may recall.”

"But you survived. Why would you have a scar?“ Gods such as Thor and Loki did not keep scars from their battles, unless the injury was delivered by another god.

“I did not survive brother. I died on that planet. I died in your arms.” Loki said before his anger began to truly erupt, an anger that Loki had been waiting to give voice to. “And you left me there. To rot. You Thor, my brother, abandoned me to that dark and desolate place! You left my body and my soul to be violated by anyone who wished!”

But before Thor could ask another stupid question, Loki grabbed Thor by his hand to press it firmly against the scar. The hold he hand on Thor was tight, stronger than what Loki usually showed he was capable of. Through this touch, Loki linked himself to Thor, forcing his brother to feel the pain that Loki had endured in those final moments. But dying was not the end of Loki’s pain. His soul was ripped away from any sort of resting place and forced back into his body. There were three faces that Loki associated with this pain, but they were blurred and undefined in his memory.

“You should have taken me home, brother.” Loki said, letting go of Thor’s hand, breaking the link. “Prepared my body and given me a funeral so that I might join Mother in the hereafter.” Loki said eyes closing tightly. “I thought you loved me, to give me at least that.”

Thor swallowed quietly, but wrapped his arms around Loki’s body, holding him close. They did not talk about love, that was not something they did. But it was there, and undeniable; woven into every moment of their lives.

Loki settled. Thor had listened to his anger, without argument, without excuse. He allowed Loki to be angry, without challenge. And that was satisfying. “Show me that care now, brother.” Loki whispered against Thor’s ear.

It was a grim and morbid request, but Thor did in fact love his brother enough to do this for him. This would be his apology, for not doing so the first time. “You are a Prince of Asgard, and my brother.” Thor said as he kissed his temple, then lifted Loki into his arms, holding him as he had done, when Loki had died.

He carried Loki to the only bed in the room and laid him out with care. And though Loki watched with a slight tilt of his head, he did not speak; he was after all pretending to be dead, in order to recreate what Thor should have done.

Finally pulling the robe closed for his brother, concealing the scar that would trouble his mind for nights to come, Thor gently extended Loki’s arm, kissing his wrist, before placing it down on the bed. Mimicking the behavior of washing and oiling a dead body, Thor rubbed the palm of his hands down Loki’s thighs and legs, each in turn, before crossing his ankles together so that his body was tapered to a point.

Still, Loki did not speak, and nor did Thor, even as the God of Thunder began to brush out Loki’s hair, ensuring that it was soft and free of tangles. It was only at the end, well over an hour after Thor had begun, did he break the silence between them.

Sliding into bed, lying on his back in the same manner as his brother, Thor reached down and clasped their hands together, fingers slowly locking. “Never doubt that I love you.”

 

* * *

 

The pretense of discord between the princes of Asgard was shattered. Thor and Loki took meals together, sat in conference together with the other leaders of Asgard, walked the halls together, and shared their nights in a single bed together. To the surviving elders of Asgard, it felt right, as it was an echo of happier days when Thor and Loki were the inseparable twins, young princes given free rein over all of Asgard.

This also meant that Thor was often seen keeping at least one hand on Loki at all times. This served several functions. For one, it was a public show of unity between the brothers. They were together, in thought and in action. Although another benefit was that by keeping his hand on Loki, Thor knew at all times that the man that stood beside him was really there. Not an illusion. Also he hoped, and feared, to get another insight into what had happened to his tormented brother, and understand the pain he had sampled from their psychic link. A truth, he began to understand, Loki was not yet ready to share.

“At least you have stopped throwing things at me.” Loki said, elegantly accepting Thor’s arm, proving himself to be solid and real. They walked together most mornings, routinely checking on the families and individuals in their care.

With Odin and Frigga gone, Thor and Loki were the new gods. Leaders and protectors. Both of them, heroes, to their people.

Where Odin had been known for bringing death in great battles, or the secret wisdom gained through the loss of his eye, Thor was known as an unyielding champion, with the strength of a great storm.

And where Frigga had been known for her foresight and wisdom, a source of courage and healing to new mothers, and her ability to weave magic, Loki was known as the imaginative trickster, a crafter of stories (and yes, sometimes lies), precision intelligence, a master of magic.

Retaining the influence and echoes of the old, Thor and Loki were the new. They were the balance of power that a new Asgard would need.

A force of nature fused with a force of magic, that the universe would come to know.

“There is no need, brother. I trust that you stand with me. In illusion or in life. I trust you.” Thor answered, beginning to show signs of his own strands of wisdom.

“Well spoken, my King.” Loki said as they walked in synchronized pace. Thor would need to remember these words in the future, and remember what he felt in this moment. A time was coming, Loki knew, when Thor would be tempted to doubt; but if he could remain loyal to Loki, to trust, then the universe just might survive what was to come.


	4. Chapter 4

“Loki? “

“Hmh?”

“Do not bow to me tomorrow.” Thor said from where he laid in bed. He had been restless while he waited for Loki to undress and ready himself to sleep. 

“I promised I would.” Loki said with a glance out of the corner of his eye.

"I know you promised.” Thor sat up in bed and fidgeted with the blanket across his lap. “But I do not believe you should.“

“No? “ Loki prompted as he drew closer to their shared bed. This time instead of lying to Thor’s side, he straddled his lap, nothing but the blanket and their pants between them. 

“You are my equal.” Thor said knowing this was an important source of strife from their past. “You stand at my side. You do not bow to me.”

“Yes?“ Loki continued to prompt. He slid his fingers into Thor’s short hair as he kept their eyes locked. Loki was not going to make it easy. Thor would have to use his words properly to explain himself. 

"Do you remember Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder?” Thor asked as he attempted to navigate this important conversation.

“You are comparing me to your goats?” 

"No.  Yes. No not you … you are making this difficult Loki.” 

"Yes.  I know.”

“Do you remember how difficult it was to capture them? One would not yield while the other remained free. I had to harness and break them at the same time.”

"Yes Thor. I remember.”

"When I say that you are my equal Loki I mean that in every possible interpretation. Even if you were to bow before me and I bow before you, one must always go first. And that is not true equality.”

Loki smiled at this answer, resting his hands on Thor’s wide shoulders. “I know of a way brother, that we might yield to the other at the same time without giving up power.”

 

Having taken the time to think this over before releasing Loki from his promise to bow to him, Thor wondered about what sort of loophole Loki already had on hand.

"Kiss me Thor.“  Loki said, thighs delicately squeezing against Thor’s hips as he leaned forward. 

Thor was not allowed to think about the direction too hard, or for too long, he had no time to question it before their lips pressed together. A kiss unlike any other. Neither demanding or forceful, even though such things might be enjoyed at another time. There was only an equal desire for the other, finally given outlet. A kiss that was shared, and burning deep into their souls.

Though as Loki began to feel Thor ready himself to pause for breath, to pull his lips away in order to speak his brother’s name and question what they were doing, Loki made his move first. He remained brave and grabbed a scruff of Thor’s short hair. “I am your equal, brother.” He said, intelligent, sharp eyes full of magic. “I alone, am worthy of you.”

Mirroring this action, Thor held Loki by the back of his head. Though instead of using his strength to pull Loki off, he found himself entranced by these words. In a way it was a comfort. Loki was brilliant, so this must be the right answer.

“Yes brother.” Thor moaned as he kissed Loki again. With something as dangerous and exciting as this, he trusted that Loki knew best.

This statement and realization was thousands of years in the making. And now that they were here they were not going to rush through the experience. Everything from this moment forward had been previously forbidden to them. No more.

Thor slid his hand around Loki’s backside, pushing up the fabric until he found bare skin. Each curve felt like it had been polished smooth, as if Loki were a sculpture that an artist had brought to life. And in a way, that was true. Loki could manipulate his body to take on the appearance of any biology he wished. Straddling his lap, kissing his lips wonderfully numb, this was the form of Loki that Thor knew most, and therefore considered to be his true self.

The two were surprisingly restrained, taking care to try out a new touch, wait for a positive response, then continue. Each carefully pushed to see how far the other would go. A touch, a few minutes pause, then another. And so it went, until well over an hour later and still no objection had been made. Thor and Loki had managed to encourage each other to the point where they were now both naked, and yet still willing to go further. 

Loki rested comfortably on his back, while Thor held himself up just over his brother, on his hands and knees. With his thighs lightly falling open, Loki was inviting Thor to fill the space between them. 

Understanding what Loki was consenting to, what they were both in fact consenting to, Thor kissed Loki on the lips. “Brother.” He said gently, not erasing the term from his vocabulary merely because of what they were about to do. 

Loki was being quite brave to offer himself first. So Thor intended to reward him for that bravery. Pulling back, kissing his way across Loki’s long and thin torso, Thor purposefully missed the last kiss against Loki’s stomach and instead pressed his lips to the head of Loki’s handsome erection. This was the first cock Thor had ever had in his mouth, but it felt right to do this for Loki. The unspoken conversation was that this was the way of things: Loki was a priority, he was not to come in second ever again, as a brother, or a lover.

Slow to try this new thing, Thor pressed his tongue against the head of Loki’s erection and hummed pleasantly before sucking more into his mouth.

Loki smiled and laughed gently, reading Thor’s reaction very clearly. “Not as bad as you thought, is it?” Knowing the answer, Loki pressed his fingers against the back of Thor’s head, lightly scratching at his scalp, encouraging him to keep doing exactly what he was doing.

Thor looked up, though it did not occur to him to pull his mouth off Loki in order to speak. How did Loki know his thoughts?

“I can read your silence, Thor, just as well as hearing the words from your own lips. That sound of pleasure, and the way your jaw has now relaxed, it tells me that you like this.” Loki moaned softly, head beginning to lull back on the bed. “Not to worry brother, I like this too.” He assured, keeping his fingers woven into Thor’s short hair. 

Loki could tell that Thor was mimicking some of the things that he liked done to him, and that was a good start. Though he was also experimenting of his own accord, which Loki was also pleased with. “Yes, Thor. Good.” Loki said to assure his brother that each lick of the tongue and sucking pressure of his mouth gave him pleasure. Yet Loki was mindful that this was Thor’s first time, and so gripped a portion of his hair, wanting him to lift his head. “Kiss me, brother.” He said by way of getting Thor to pull his mouth off.

More then willing to honor this request, Thor lifted his head and leaned forward to press his lips to Loki’s mouth instead. Though as he did, Loki orgasmed in place, toes curling and back arching against the bed. Ejaculating quite forcefully against his own stomach and chest, Loki moaned and smiled, kissing Thor happily. 

The truth was, Thor was relieved not to have Loki cum in his mouth; that part he was still unsure about, but the rest he rather liked. Not to mention how serene Loki looked under him as he orgasmed. However seeing the slick over Loki’s chest allowed Thor to get his head around the idea further, it allowed him to explore himself, and his brother, in a new way. Holding himself up with his right hand, Thor thumbed over the wet spots on Loki’s chest, a bit slimy if he was honest with himself, but it looked creamy too. And so Thor fingered a bit of it between thumb and finger before putting it to his own lips. It was salty, but not terribly so. Though the texture still left something to be desired, it was certainly no worse then raw oysters, and other similar foods Thor had consumed in his lifetime. Perhaps next time, he would swallow.

Loki however was absolutely delighted by the way Thor examined and tested everything. He had certainly never been this studious as a child with their tutors.  “Did you like that, Thor?” Loki asked as he stretched his arms out behind his head with a pleased sigh. 

“Yes, Loki.” Thor answered, licking his own lips, thinking he should kiss Loki again, soon.

“Would you like more?” Loki asked, locking his ankles behind Thor’s thighs to keep his brother from backing away.

“Yes, Loki.” Thor admitted, and moved in closer between Loki’s parted thighs. “Should I-?” He began to ask for direction, but Loki had all the answers.

“I am quite relaxed now, brother. You saw to that. And I am ready, I assure you.” Loki said with a smirk, “Even a little wet.”

“Wet?” Thor asked, though for some reason was too embarrassed to look and see for himself.

“Yes, Thor. Fortunately your brother knows magic.” Loki said with a playful laugh. It was Loki’s preference anyway, to see to the messy part himself, to be well lubricated or not, depending upon his preference in the moment. 

“Loki, do not tease, I do not know-” Thor began in his own defense. Though he did now take the time to look and test for himself, pressing his finger to Loki’s warm and wet opening. 

“Do not tease? Thor, you have been teasing me with the sight of that thick cock of yours for the last hour.” Loki said, and looked between their bodies while he drew Thor closer with his arms and legs. But not wanting to spoil the mood or Thor’s willingness, Loki made sure to speak sweet words. “Please, brother. I am ready. Make love to me.” He said, arching his neck to kiss Thor on the lips, slow and gentle. 

“Loki.” Thor began, though did not know what should be said at a time like this. So he watched his brother’s expression as his pelvis lowered against Loki’s parted thighs, his hard and erect cock finding the entrance all too easily. 

Loki held onto the back of Thor’s neck and gasped at the sudden bliss of Thor pushing into his body. “Thor, brother-” The words were heavenly on his lips. “Yes.” He encouraged, locking his ankles behind Thor’s back, taking him slowly, all the way. A few pale patches of white skin flushed a soft blue as his body processed this great pleasure. 

Being joined together was everything.

“Loki.” Thor said protectively, wrapping his arms around his brother, covering Loki’s body with his own. Kissing and sucking on the side of his neck, Thor groaned as he slowly fucked his brother. And though Thor briefly entertained addressing Loki with other titles, to call him Queen to Thor’s King, to call him lover, or soulmate, none of those terms were quite right. They did not encapsulate all that Loki was, or what they were to each other. They were brothers, whole and complicated men individually, gods among mortals, but together, they were celestial. Like the All-Father and All-Mother before them. When joined, in battle or in bed, they were beyond quantification; they were beautiful and dangerous, and yet so much more than mere labels. 


	5. Chapter 5

It was the eve of the Asgardian New Year. Loki had a delicate web of secrets to unravel for his brother, the King. Difficult and painful conversations that needed to be expressed. Though after a long night of intimacy and lovemaking, and hours of much needed rest after, Loki had little motivation to spoil the mood.

The weight of Thor laying against his back, covering him instead of blankets felt sublime. Thor was still asleep, breathing out steadily against Loki’s shoulder. It was the best sort of restraint Loki had ever experienced before.

“Come, brother. There is much to do today.” Loki said, quietly encouraging Thor to wake.

“Hm?” Thor did not move, but his breathing changed to suggest that he was no longer asleep.

“Let me up, Thor.” Loki clarified, keeping the direction simple as he twisted his back in attempts to throw Thor off him enough so that he could get out of their shared bed.

“Hmhn.” Thor rolled onto his back to lay beside Loki, eyes remaining closed, prepared to go back to sleep.

Slipping away from his loving and protective brother, Loki reluctantly got to his feet. He pulled on his dressing gown and headed into the bathroom for a long steam and shower. Loki washed himself slowly, fingertips lingering over a few bruises and bitemarks Thor had given him during their hours of passion. They made him smile. And then they made him cry.

 _Thor. Forgive me._ Loki’s mind reached out as he pressed his head against the shower wall. Though forgiven or not, there was no coming back from what path they were currently on.

By the time Loki was showered and dressed, Thor was yawning and stretching his arms out in bed, waking up. “Where are you going?” He asked as he sat up, feet briefly touching the floor before his toes curled in at the cold surface.

“To arrange a meeting, brother.” Loki said, pulling the tight sleeves of his tunic well over his wrists, which were followed by a black leather and gold forearm guard. He wore a hybrid of both formal attire and battle dress, though that was not uncommon, as Thor often did the same. Though today, Loki was craving this small symbolic representation of being a Prince of Asgard, while also being protected from harm. “Shower. Dress. Eat. Then come find me in an hour.” Loki suggested, allowing one last bit a familiarly as he pressed his hand to Thor’s cheek. But instead of kissing Thor once more on the lips as he wanted, Loki pulled away and left Thor to wake up on his own terms.

 

* * *

 

It was an uneasy gathering. Not because the people standing in the star chart room disliked each other, but rather because Loki had come to each of them in turn, and asked them personally to be in attendance.

Bruce Banner.

Korg.

Heimdall.

Valkyrie.

And now, Thor.

So it must begin.

“Loki, what is this?” Thor asked as he joined the others, standing in half-circle, while Loki stood separate from the rest.

“Please, brother, there is a great deal to say. And much of it you will not like. But I must speak it, and you gathered here, must hear it.” Loki said, rubbing the palms of his hands together as he began to form his magic. “Thor, my brother. King of Asgard. You have a duty to the Nine Realms, and to your people. Heimdall, The Watcher of the Worlds, the Gatekeeper and Protector of Asgard, your loyalty is to your King and the citizens of Asgard. Valkyrie, Leader of the Valkyries and reluctant citizen of Asgard, you will no longer fight for the King, but you will fight for the good. Bruce Banner, scientist and acting representative of Midgard, you see what is both human, and inhuman. And Korg, representing those outside of the Nine Realms, those that do not have a voice here today. Each of you have a perspective that you alone embody. When you hear my words, you cannot concern yourselves with what others might think. It is within your minds and your hearts we must dwell.”

“For those of you who have reason to doubt my words, who have been deceived by me before-” Loki said, his gaze briefly falling to Heimdall. “I shall attempt to be transparent.” He said, building his magic into a medium orb, half the size of his own body. “Instead of merely using my words, you will see and hear my memories in evidence of the truth that must be shared.” Loki kept one hand pressed to the orb as he now looked to Bruce Banner, locking eyes with him to issue him a warning. “What you will see and hear is violent. I ask that you stay, to witness it all from start to finish, but if you cannot, you are free to leave at any time.” He said, believing that it would be a great risk to trigger Bruce into becoming the Hulk. But even with that risk, he continued.

With his other hand, Loki removed something out of his pocket. And as he uncurled his fingers, he revealed an additional complication.

“This is one of the infinity stones. The Space Stone, known commonly as the Tesseract. I wield this power, and will continue to do so until I am forced to surrender it. With it, I manipulate space, to manipulate our future. At times, I have insight into even the multiverse. But I use it now, to allow you to exist within my memory, so that you might experience the truth of it without altercation from my lips." Loki said, and without further explanation, pressed the Tesseract and the orb memory into one another, combining space with memory, which engulfed all present.

“We begin on the rainbow bridge, the moment I become lost to my brother-” Loki said, as all six of them began to see and experience the memory of him hanging onto Odin’s staff, slipping away from Thor, deciding he had nothing to go back to. Only disappointment and failure. Killing Laufey had not been enough, because he had been unable to kill off the monster that Odin had revealed was within. And so in his mind, having not found the satisfaction he had been looking for in Laufey's death, all of Jotun needed to be exterminated, in order to be truly free. In his heart, he was a Prince of Asgard, and everything else not representing that truth, needed to die. But of course, Loki had been unsuccessful. 

Loki fell through collapsing space, unable to die, unable to live. Loki was drifting through space, without concept of time or reference in the universe. Until he found himself in a debri field and crashed into a smooth rock, solid ground at the base of an occupied throne.

“What is it master?” A blade was taken to Loki’s throat and he was lifted from the ground by its tip.

“A new servant of Thanos.” Thanos said with a grin. “Break him, Corvus Glaive, as many times at it takes.”

“Yes, master.” The creature that could be mistaken at first glance as a Dark Elf, mutilated since birth, bowed to Thanos and pulled Loki away by the edge of his blade. But this creature was no Dark Elf, this was Corvus Glaive, the servant of Thanos. And he would rip into Loki without mercy. There would be no questions, no interrogation, only torture.

His blade was thirsty for new blood. And the torment of screams was the sort of music Corvus Glaive liked to practice until the symphony was perfect to his ears.

At first, Loki would endure. Then, he would suffer. But with the help of Proxima Midnight and Ebony Maw, Corvus Glaive ensured that Loki would be broken.

Breaking into Loki's mind as if it were as easy as opening a bottle of water, Ebony Maw sought out all the things that made Loki powerful, and what things made him vulnerable. “Let us see what terrors already exist for this god-thing.”

 

K͚̮̟͍̆ͭ̈́̽ͧͦiͮ̉̅͋ͮ̾̾l̼̙̮͔͊ͦ͒̅͌̎͌ͅľ͍̭̩̜͌ͨ̎̃̚ ̬̏͒ͦ͊ͅi̦͇̮̓ͣ̑̀t̩̰͎̏̄̃͂ͅ.̗̤̘̬̳̬̃͌̋ͩ͋ͯ̚ ͭ̽͛̏ͦ̀̚D̈́r̹͐ͤ̆̇̃ͮo͎͔̪͗̒͒ͅw̫̜ͧň͍͉̺̜̗ͭ̉ ̭̖̦́͛̾͆̒̓ͨͅi̟͎͇͉̹̖̝ͬ̽̓ͧ̇͒̾t̜̮̜.̾ ̣͖͕͉̃U̝͓̩̭̹ͩg̦̩͔̪͙l̀y͉̥̋̃̂ͪ͌.̣͇̣̭̣͖ͦͭ̈́̂ͦͩ̓ ͈̤̅͐̽̑̈̀͗W͖̝͕̙̘̎e͚͍̲ͦ̅͌͐̂̾ak̮̥̺̝̏ͪ͊̽.̟̝͐ ̼͆͋͐ͦ͌K̮̥̮̬̬̳ͪ͆̑i̯͈̤͚̼͍ͤͪḻ͍̞̳̜͚̅l͚͔̙̺̗̺̭̏̀̐̇ ̖̩̜̠̙̞͓̊͗ͯ͑̎ḭ͓͑̌̾͗̽̚t̒̋̃ͭ̚.͓̥̲̥̭̰ͣ̈ͨ̾̃̚ ͓̦̣̝͎̦̏ͣ̓̀͊M̜̬̥̦̠̓́ͣ̊͑o͗̈́̈ͯn̻̥̤̻͔̫ͥs̫̝ͪ̃ṫ͂e̝̼͎̤͚͗͛̍ṟ͒̈̈́.͓̮̀ ̠̟̩̯͕̼̲̊̽̔W̩̦̍ͪ̇̈o̟̥̞̩r̬̮̱̥̺̰͇͗ͨͬͧ͐̋̾t̺h̖̹͙͕̩͍͙̀̈́ͥlẹ̲̜̗̐s͓̳͍͎ͯͯ͊s̲͇̠ͣͩͥ͂͂.̥͙̿͒ͯ ̖͓̺̂͌̈̒͒̈

 

“I have a son, perfect and golden, I do not need another. Kill it.” Frigga said, holding a smiling infant Thor in her arms.

“It is no son of mine. It is small and weak. Kill it.” Laufey said, the moment Loki was born.

“Had you been a girl, we would have married you to Thor and forced a royal alliance between Jotunheim and Asgard. But as a boy you are useless to me, so I give you to Thor as target practice, instead of a bride … Kill it.” Odin said, pulling Loki's chained body across the floor, treated as a slave of old.

“Come brother, hold still … I must collect your head to mount on the wall! Kill it.” Thor said with a smile, swinging his hammer to smash in Loki’s head.

And so Ebony Maw collected these thoughts and images, digging them from Loki's mind, pulling out each strand with the Mind Stone Scepter so that they spilled onto the ground, to be given life.

“You are a disappointment, Loki. To all.” Thor said, drawing a blade slowly across Loki’s throat, spilling dark, almost black blood.

“Brother, please-” Loki sobbed as his head was removed from his body.

“Never. You are no kin of mine.” Thor said, kicking the husk of Loki’s dead body to the ground, leaving it for the crows.

“Let us lift the veil, god-thing. Let us see the source, God of Lies.” Ebony Maw said, whispering into Loki’s ear, as he dug deeper into his mind.

The image of Thor as executioner, became Loki. The image of Laufey drowning an infant in ice water, became Loki. The image of Frigga, clutching a child Thor in her arms while the child Loki was smothered, became Loki. And the image of Odin binding Loki in chains, also became Loki. They were all Loki. All his fears. All the Lokis began to unload their abuse upon Loki all at once: Unwanted. Ugly. Hated. Unloved. Deficient. Cowardly. Unworthy. Villain.

“Kill it.” All the Lokis agreed.

And so Ebony Maw with the use of the Mind Stone Scepter, forced Loki to experience every painful death the Lokis could imagine up. Unfortunately, Loki, God of Lies, had a very strong imagination, and began to experience each one, without repeat. Not mere hundreds or thousands, but millions.

Loki as Thor stabbed him in the heart. Loki as Frigga burned him alive. Loki as Loki tore the flesh from his skin with his bare hands. And so it continued. Each time he was broken, Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight put Loki back together for Ebony Maw, so that he could be broken apart again.

Until the day he would kneel before Thanos, without deceit or defiance. Without a single memory of love, good, kindness, or courage, there was nothing left but pure obedience.

The day he was issued his orders, his burden of glorious purpose. Find the Space Stone, lost somewhere on Earth, open a portal so that the Chitauri may lay waste to the planet, then find the Time Stone once the beings with supernatural powers concealing it, were destroyed.

Serve Thanos. Obey Thanos. “Find the Infinity Stones for your master.”

And so armed with the Mind Stone Scepter, Loki was sent to Earth to do as Thanos commanded.

But Loki, God of Lies, made for a very poor servant. He managed to obey, while not obeying. He managed to fail his orders, allow himself to be captured, and leave the Mind Stone on Earth for the newly risen heroes of Midgard. Earth would be better protected, now that they had a taste of what was coming for them.

As much death and destruction Loki had brought with him, a failed servant of Thanos was the best outcome Earth could ask for. And being returned to Asgard, to be imprisoned indefinitely, servant to none, was the best outcome Loki could ask for too.

Removing the Space Stone from the orb memory, the six were returned to the star chart room, the group no longer existing within Loki's memory of events. Loki kept his eyes down, upon the orb as he closed it, making it smaller until it was no larger then a marble in the palm of his hand, which he could crush into dust. If only it were that easy to destroy the real memory. 

“I cannot undo what has already been done. Armed with this information, it is reasonable for you to think of killing me now, so that I cannot do further harm. But I still have a part to play in the war to come. Your understanding of these events is not required. I alone know the truth, I alone know how I have manipulated my path, and the path of others. You can believe me, or not." Loki said and finally looked to Thor, his true and sole focus. "All of you are here, because I wish to tell my brother, the King, the truth. And a truth as important as this, requires witnesses. It is not a burden of knowledge for only Thor to possess."

Pushing the Tesseract back into his pocket, which was actually a pocket of folded space and magic, hidden from the real world, a place where only Loki could retrieve it, the God of Lies looked genuinely ill. Perhaps telling the truth was simply too difficult for him. Or perhaps it had something to do with keeping an infinity stone on him at all times. One guess was as good as another.

"I have decided to tell you this, Thor, because Thanos is relying upon my inability to tell the truth, my unwillingness and fear to show you, any of you, vulnerability. My silence gives him power. And I refuse." Loki's fingers twitched at his sides, itching for his daggers, anything to help him feel secure and guarded again. 

"We all have our strengths. Mine is in magic, shaping words in truths and in lies, and mischief, which is really just another word for sabotage. It is my gift, my strength, whether you approve of it or not.” Loki had sabotaged his brother from gaining certain success in his youth. He had sabotaged the mission Thanos wished him to undertake. And Loki had sabotaged many opportunities to be trusted, and loved within his own lifetime. It did not make him evil, but it did make him difficult. And lonely. "By telling the truth, I have set a foundation for Thanos' downfall. By using the Space Stone, I have set into motion events which will help the heroes of Midgard destroy him. This act of sabotage would have remained a secret to you Thor, except that I _want_ you to know. I love you, brother. I remain at your side ... even if my actions do not always indicate my loyalty. I-"

"Loki-" Thor began and stepped forward towards his brother. Though Loki flinched, and stepped back, prepared to flee. But Thor symbolically showed Loki the palms of his hands, a sign that he had no weapon and did not intend to harm him. So he stepped forward again, and when Loki did not shy away from him this time, Thor wrapped his arms around his brother and hugged him tight. He said nothing, but clutched Loki's back, understanding how all of this had exposed his private and guarded brother. Truth, from the God of Lies should be impossible, except that it proved Thor was right to retain hope, there was more to Loki.

"You should have told us sooner." Heimdall said.

"How can you see the multiverse? Have you seen this war play out in another universe?" Banner began to ask.

"Tell me about the servants of Thanos." Valkyrie demanded. 

"So uh, should we be worried? I feel we should be worried." Korg said, looking to the others in the room.

And while all questions would be addressed in time, right now it all went ignored. The brothers embrace was given the time and space that it needed. After all, Loki had accomplished something here that even Odin had been unable to face. In imprisoning Hela, Odin had attempted to conceal and escape his past. Loki however had exposed his own deepest shame, instead of allowing it to fester, so that his faults would be reworked into a force for good. Thor would see to that.


	6. Chapter 6

An Asgardian New Year meant lots of food and lots of drinking. It also meant story-telling and fortune-telling, for those who had the art of it. There were games of chance and competitions of physical ability. Fire dancing and singing. Sweet fruits and gold jewelry were often gifted to the young as a treat. And married couples would discuss if they did or did not want children in the year to come.

For Thor it was easy to make new friends and laugh and play games. He was competitive and confident, and shared a smile for all that looked his way.

It was the sort of thing that had made Loki jealous as a child, and still did as an adult. Not because he wanted to necessarily win competitions or be the center of amorous attention, like Thor was. But he did want _Thor’s_ attention. For better or for worse, Thor was the center of Loki’s life, but the reverse was not necessarily true. 

The brothers were on a parallel journey together, evolving into something new. Still, they had their faults. Loki sitting bitter through the New Year's feast was nothing new, nor was Thor’s obliviousness. 

In fact, except for traveling through space, this Asgardian New Year felt little different from ones from the past. For the people of Asgard, it was likely a welcome familiarity, but for Loki it meant nothing had changed, really. 

So when Thor got up from the feast table to socialize, Loki got up and left the dining hall. No, there was nothing new about this New Years. Thor would be the toast of the New Year and Loki’s absence would go unnoticed. But if Thor brought a woman back to the bedroom, to  _ their  _ bed, Loki would kill him.

Would kill him. Could kill him. Might kill him. Kill him. Kill it. Kill it. Kill it. “No-” Loki breathed out sharply as a familiar torment began to repeat in his mind. The internal voices became insanely loud and impossible to manage. So Loki did not hear when Thor called after him the first time, or the second. But he did turn sharply, knives in hand when Thor grabbed the back of his arm.

“Loki?” Thor’s smile was fading, but it meant that until that moment, he had been smiling. “Did you not hear me, brother? Where are you going?”

To bed? To somewhere? Away? Loki did not answer. 

“Come back with me, brother.” Thor attempted, reaching down to hold Loki by the wrist, to pull him back if necessary. Though Thor was not reading the situation correctly. Today had been a difficult day for Loki, and it had worn him down to his last thread. He would not hold his tongue for his brother much longer. “Keep me company.”

“No, Thor. I cannot endure living in your shadow tonight.” Loki said, breaking Thor’s hold on his wrist, but to his credit, he also made the knives disappear.

“I am not asking you to live in my shadow.” Thor said back, frowning as he tried to understand the foundation of this accusation. Thor folded his arms across his chest, falling into old habits without meaning to. “Loki, we were having fun.” 

Except that Thor was in error. Of the two of them, only Thor was having a good time, Loki had not been. Thor had forgotten about his internal promise to keep Loki from coming in second. Loki had always been there to comfort and embolden Thor, and tonight, in public, when it mattered most, Thor had failed to make Loki a priority. Unfolding his arms, Thor tried again. “What do you want, Loki?”

“If I were a woman, would you ask me to dance?” Loki asked, the issue at the forefront of his mind. Standing quite rigid, from his sharp cheekbones to his long fingers, every thin angle of his body tightened and locked together. For Loki, this was controlled anger.

“I will ask you to dance, as man or woman, Loki.” Thor said, the answer natural and easy on his lips. Loki was fluid chaos, Thor knew, it was an aspect of Loki equal to saying that Thor had blue eyes. It was simply a matter of fact. “I will ask you to dance, as Jotun or Asgardian. I will ask you to dance as snake or horse. Loki, no matter what form you take, you are still _you_. I would certainly not ask that you choose between them, nor would I have you change for my benefit.” 

And that was love, Loki knew. 

“The error is mine, Loki. I did not think to ask. I presumed you had no desire for it.” Thor pressed his right hand to Loki’s hip as he asked, “Will you dance with me, brother?”

“Yes.” Loki relaxed his gaze and slid in against Thor’s chest, kissing his jaw on his blind side. Wrapping his arms over Thor’s shoulders, Loki smiled discreetly, his poisonous mood instantly cured.

“Loki. This is not dancing. This is a hug.”

“Are you certain?”

“Loki. Is this what you want?”

“Yes.”

“Is this all you want?”

“For now.”

“Oh.” Thor made an attempt at playing coy, but he had no talent for it. “I thought perhaps you might like to play a game with me.”

Loki smiled wildly. “A game, brother?” Now Thor was speaking his language. 

“I was thinking, you have had the throne twice now. And neither time did I show you the appropriate deference. I should, now.” Thor said, turning his head to the side so that he could lick Loki’s neck, sucking and kissing the delicate skin. “Would you like this game, Loki?” 

“Yes, brother.” Loki said and jumped into Thor’s strong arms, wrapping his legs around his hips as he kissed Thor back quite hard, with a hunger he had not shown during the feast. 

With only one good eye, which was half closed when he and Loki kissed, Thor carried his brother on his hips down the hall, unable to see where they were going. Though his feet did have a sense of taking Loki back to their shared room. Still, both men groaned as Thor ran them into a wall. “Loki-” Thor half-laughed and half-apologized.

“Very well.” Loki said as he leaned back against the wall, legs still locked around Thor’s hips. “I will get us there.” He said and opened a magical doorway that took them directly to their bedroom.

Stepping through the portal with Loki in his arms, Thor finally put his brother down, setting him on the edge of the bed. As the magic sealed itself closed, the brothers were now left to their privacy, and celebrating the New Year in a very new way.

“Is this meant to be my throne, Thor?” Loki asked coolly, resting his hands on the edge of the bed.

“Not at all, brother. It is merely a king’s bed.” Thor answered as he pulled a pillow and a thick blanket off the unmade bed. Tossing the blanket over one of the armchairs in the room, follow by the pillow to give it extra comfort, Thor gestured, “This is your throne.” He said and gave a bow of his head, though could not help but smile, as it did feel a bit silly. 

But Loki was still quite keen on playing his game. “It will do.” He said and rose from the bed, elegant as ever before sitting in the chair Thor had made for him. Sitting back, Loki raised his chin and stared Thor down. “Why do you stand taller than your king? You made this throne to honor me, did you not?”

“Yes, Loki.” Thor said and lowered himself to one knee. He smiled even now, but bowed his head down and kissed the top of Loki’s black leather boot. “I pledge my loyalty to you, brother. And devote my life, to your service.” Thor said, tilting his head to kiss the ankle of Loki’s boot. “How may I show you my respect, brother? What tribute can I give?” He asked, placing a third kiss to Loki’s calf, which radiated with heat, trapped within the skin tight leather. 

“Your lips have found the right words, my dear brother. It is a pleasure to hear. Now, I want the pleasure of your lips, upon my skin.” Loki said as he removed the buckle and cords of his pants, opening them just enough to present his erect cock to Thor.

Knowing that this was where their game had been headed, Thor pressed his head to Loki’s thigh as he gave a small lick of his lips. Thor remained on his knees, and pressed both hands onto the floor as well so that he was not tempted to use them. It was his mouth that Loki desired, and so that was what he would get.

“Yes, brother.” Thor said as he rubbed his face against Loki’s erection before licking the base, dragging his tongue over the hot skin. There was no hesitation, Thor adored and worshiped Loki’s cock, sucking and kissing the shaft until it was wet with his saliva. Then lifting his head, Thor began to nurse the top, tongue pressing against the slit as he sought to drink from his brother.

“Thor-” Loki groaned the name, his body writhing in place as he breathed in deeply. “Good.” He praised, his left hand gently falling to the back of Thor’s head where he began to clench the short golden hair. This time Thor would not be given a way out, this time he would take the load in his mouth. “Good.” Loki said again as his cock began to pulse, spilling into Thor’s willing mouth. It was short and sweet, but left Loki warm and glowing.

Swallowing several times, Thor looked up at his brother, and dared to pull his mouth off at the end. He licked his lips and swallowed again, entranced by Loki’s state of bliss. “How else might I serve the throne?” Thor asked.

Releasing Thor’s hair, Loki tucked his cock back into his pants. “You make the throne worth having, Thor. I do not want it otherwise.” He said, ending this particular diversion. “However, we can play another game.” Loki suggested, even though he was quite fond of Thor’s head laying in his lap. 

“Tell me, brother.” Thor said, intending to be nowhere else, with no one else, other than Loki for the rest of the New Year. 

“You Thor, were briefly a champion gladiator. But it was not a position you held long enough to enjoy. There are great benefits to being a champion, my brother. Not least of which, is being given your own concubine, meant to reward you with great pleasure and companionship every night that you live another day in the arena.” Loki stood and offered his hand to Thor, encouraging him to get to his feet as well. “Allow me to be your reward, champion gladiator.”

“Yes, Loki-” Thor said and reached for him, wanting to quickly tear the clothes from his body.

But Loki took a step back and laughed, “Allow me to at least dress the part, brother.” He snapped his wrist outward and transformed into something suitable for the role of their game. With a stripe of red paint over his eyes and gold bracelets on both wrists, Loki wore Thor’s colors; and that was all that he wore. “Unless you desire something else?” Loki asked, looking down over his own naked body, considering a few other alterations in his appearance, but did not act upon those thoughts just yet. 

“You are the perfect reward.” Thor said, petting his hand down Loki’s side, fingers resting close to his wrist. The fact that Loki wore a gold bracelet with Thor’s symbol on it did not go unnoticed.

“Champion gladiator, Thor, God of Thunder, I am yours.” Loki said as he slipped his hands against Thor’s hips, gently starting to undo his belt. “There is no limit to how you may enjoy your reward. You are free, with me, God of Thunder. In fact, it is encouraged.” Loki said, opening the pants so that he might press his hand against Thor’s thick cock.

“Explain?” Thor asked, not entirely understanding Loki’s meaning. 

“I hear you are quite impressive, God of Thunder. That you have a strong temper.” Loki said and turned in place, pushing his backside against Thor’s groin with a soft moan. He arched back against his brother, submissive and willing. “I want to experience that, the power of Thor.”

“Loki-” Thor began, quite confused by his senses. His hands naturally found a place on Loki’s sharp hips so that he might remain pressed against his backside. But his brain insisted on one thing. “That is dangerous.” He said, trying to work in some small rational thought. 

“I want to know your power, Thor.” Loki said again. Reaching down, Loki covered Thor’s right hand with his own and helped to guide it up his long torso until the fingers were wrapped around his throat. “I will be the one and only, that takes and accepts all that you are, God of Thunder. I alone will know what dangers and rewards there are, in being yours.”

This did not feel like a game anymore, this felt real. Was it real? Was this game simply an excuse for both brothers to indulge? And that was, good? Thor tightened his grasp around Loki’s throat, groaning as his erection hardened further. “Loki …” His brain began to rework the evidence presented to him. “You have always been mine, haven't you?” He said, biting his bare shoulder.

“Yes-” Loki cried out breathlessly, his heart suddenly racing in his chest. Thor understood him. Finally. It had only taken a few thousand years. 

“You will take me at my worst, and you will take me at my best, won’t you? Because you are mine.” Thor said, the possessive words slipping from his lips quite easily. 

“Yes!” Loki cried out again, his excitement rising. He arched his spine beautifully against Thor, aching to have his brother give proof of his claim. 

“Good.” Thor said simply. A shot of lightning arced out from one hand, only to ground itself on the other, which crossed the front of Loki’s body. But that was only the beginning. Electricity continued to snap off of Thor’s body, making the room buzz with energy. The threads that held Thor’s formal attire together began to burn to ash, and the remaining fabric fell away from his skin, leaving his body bare and burning hot.

Thor squeezed his fingers, nearly crushing Loki’s throat, and yet his brother gave no resistance to it. Controlling Loki in his way, Thor pushed his brother’s head down onto the bed, adjusting his fingers to hold onto the back of his neck, pinning him there. There were no words between them now. The brothers needed this wild, raw relief, and even the simplest of words would have been intrusive to that need.  

Even as his face was pressed into the bedding, nearly to the point of suffocation, Loki folded his hands behind his back, yielding to Thor completely. Ropes and chains were not needed here, Loki would bind himself to his brother’s will.

Given this alternative, Thor let go of Loki’s neck and instead clutched the narrow wrists that he could easily hold with a single hand. In this hysteria of desire and storming madness, Thor raised a hand to his brother’s backside, hitting him so hard that a thunderclap echoed through the entire ship.

Loki trembled in place, ass still presented to his brother. And though tears streamed from the corner of his eyes, he maintained his surrender. 

This had freed Thor. Free to be angry. Free to be powerful. Free to be mournful. Free to be authentic. Free to be possessive. Which he took out on Loki, fucking him hard like an animal. 

It was freeing to Loki too. He could feel power and pain, and still feel safe. Loki was being freed from past torment and trauma of torture, because this he was consenting to. Loki sobbed with pleasure. He was no servant of Thanos. And he was not a pawn in Odin’s cosmic games. He belonged to Thor. And that thought filled Loki with such ecstasy, he orgasmed again, crying out Thor’s name.

Thor managed his own release soon after. Filling the room with lightning, while also filling his brother’s ass with his seed. And as the last pulse left his body, Thor began to breathe deeply again. A strange haze clouded his mind as if he were trying to wake up. Eventually his brain caught up to the rest of his senses and he looked down at the sight of Loki bent over for him. Though his fingertips slowly passed over huge bruises, welts and burn marks on Loki’s skin. Had he done these things, and not even noticed?

“Loki?” Thor pulled back so that he no longer mounted his brother. He watched as Loki’s hips slowly sank down to the bed, though the rest of him was perfectly still, and silent. Then the fear occurred to him, had he killed his own brother? “Loki?!” His hands trembled as he reached for Loki’s hips, turning his brother over on the bed.

“Shh … Thor … shh.” Loki said quietly, his voice raw. However he knew his brother’s mind, and was quick to speak. “I am unharmed, brother.” Lie. “Do not apologize.” Truth. “I do not wish you to take back a second of that.” Truth. “Do not worry over me.” Lie. “I am happy.” Truth. “I am yours.” Truth.

Loki offered his hand to Thor, inviting him to lay in bed. “Come rest with me, brother, while I think of a new game.”

Crawling into bed, Thor wrapped his arms around Loki, hugging him, holding him, protecting and shielding him. Unable to tolerate the thought of living a life without Loki in it. He could never hurt his brother, except for when he did. He loved his brother, and wondered if one day he would be worthy of him.


	7. Chapter 7

Despite Thor’s joke about witches wearing all black, Thor looked good in the dark color, Loki thought. For once, they matched, instead of clashed. At least visually. This small change was a sign that the brothers were becoming more like, trading their good and bad qualities with one another; becoming one entity. 

“Do you really think it is a good idea to go back to earth?” Loki asked. The decision to return to earth with the surviving population of Asgard had been made some time ago, and they had several months of slow going space travel ahead of them. But it was still a question worth asking.

“Yes of course, the people of earth love me. I'm very popular.” Thor assured. After all, one of Odin’s last insights to Thor and Loki had been that Asgard could be built anew in Norway. Though how the government of Norway would feel about Asgard refugees building a settlement on their land was not something Thor had given much thought.

“Let me rephrase that. Do you really think it is a good idea to bring  _ me _ back to earth?” Loki asked again.

“Probably not, to be honest.” Not that Thor believed that Loki would try to conquer earth again. But Loki was a source of chaos, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. The people of earth did not know Loki as Thor did, and never would either, considering his evasive nature. “I wouldn't worry, brother. I feel everything is going to work out fine.” Thor said, intending to look after Loki.

Cursed words. 

A massive and technologically superior spaceship drifted into place, blocking the refugee ship with the surviving Asgardian population. It had to be five-hundred times the size, or more, to the refugee ship. It engulfed all light from the nearby stars, casting the smaller ship in shadow. 

Loki blinked once, his heart aching with terror. Any other day, Loki would run. But he couldn’t run, not today, not from Thanos. The God of Lies still had a part to play, he knew.

“Mother. Father.” Loki whispered, his lips attempting a prayer, something he had never done before. He needed to temper his tongue and keep a sharp mind for the days to come. His performance must be flawless.

“What?” Thor frowned and looked over at Loki, having never heard him ask for help, let alone pray to the All-Mother or All-Father. 

“Good-bye, brother.” Loki said clearly, turning to face Thor. It was unlikely that he would get this chance again. There would be no time for quiet words in the war to come. Less even, for sentimental gestures. So as Loki slid his right hand up Thor’s chest, clutching at his armor, he leaned in and kissed him one final time. 

Thor was not given the chance to ask him why this was good bye, nor even to kiss Loki back. Before the brush of their lips could be enjoyed, Loki disappeared, transferring himself from Thor’s side, to the opposing ship that was staring them down.

“No! Loki!” Thor yelled, trying to grab at a wisp of green and blue energy that Loki left in his wake.

“LOKI!” Thor screamed at the window that allowed him to see the opposing ship begin to power up weapons. 

Though before the weapons hit their mark, Thor’s ship with the survivors of Asgard were swallowed by a sudden rip in space that had not been there before. They were no longer drifting in deep space. They were orbiting Midgard, the planet Earth, far away from Thanos, and safe, for now.

“No. Loki.” Thor pressed his hand against the window, watching as the tear in space that had brought them here, closed just as quickly. He understood vaguely that Loki had done this, but he was angry that he was now separated from his brother, that Loki no longer stood at his side. From now on, they were to fight separate battles, in the same war.


	8. Chapter 8

It was not the first time Loki had handled the Tesseract of course. In fact, he had controlled all but one of the Infinity Stones in his lifetime. But this would be his last.

The army of Thanos was divided into two. But so also were the heroes of Earth. Ebony Maw lead the assault against Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum. While Black Dwarf began the invasion of Wakanda. The cost of life did not matter to Thanos, the Time Stone and the Soul Stone were his only goals. Earth would burn. With all the Infinity Stones assembled in his gauntlet, Thanos could destroy and reconstruct the universe as he wished.

Until then, there were tyrants and world killers. There were servants of evil, designed only for one purpose.

And heroes to rise against them. Free men and women. Gods and mortals. Aliens, mutants, humans, metahumans, and everything in between.

Fighting for their lives, their people, their planets, for the universe itself.

And this was the moment that Loki relinquished the Tesseract to Thanos. To an untrained mind, this exchange looked like a loyal servant obeying his master. But the truth, which by all accounts might never be known, was that this was Loki’s final act of sabotage. His final lie.

Thanos fancied himself an agent of chaos. But he knew truly nothing of it. His nihilist beliefs were not the same as surrendering to chaos, anarchy, and discord. He was far too focused on things being made to his design to truly know it. However Loki, God of Mischief, God of Lies, understood it. As a constant force in his life, which he thrived upon one moment, and suffered with the next. Chaos was not a force that could be focused into a weapon, or made subservient. Chaos was fickle and fluid. It had the strength to begin, and end, the universe. And gave irrational intensity to forces like love.

So here they were. Thanos deluded in thinking he had control. And Loki, a being of internal and external chaos, stripping Thanos of the future he desired.

Until his last moments of life.

Thanos gave the order. And Corvus Glaive followed it.

A blade forged with the weight and power of a star, able to cut through atoms, was driven through his chest. Loki had expected this end, he had seen it. Though his body still attempted to disassociate, break away into a mirror version of himself. But he could not. The blade had magic that Loki could not escape. He remained impaled, lips parting as he felt his last breath pushed from his chest. There would be no final words from Loki this time, and no comforting embrace from his brother either. And as the last few impulses passed in his brain, Loki remembered, his death shielded his deceit from Thanos, and would allow for his downfall.

Few would survive this day. But Thor would be among them.

 _Thor_.

Dropping to the ground, patches of Loki’s skin reverted back to Jotun blue as his magic left his body, no longer able to maintain the illusion that he was a Prince of Asgard. He was once again an orphaned child, abandoned on the battlefield in his death, as he had been at birth.

 

* * *

 

The world had many to mourn. Heroes whose names would be known on this world, and many others. Monuments and memorials would be built, and their stories would be told. However, there was one among the dead that had only his brother’s love. And though Thor had grieved for Loki before, this time he would do him the honor of seeing to his body and funeral.

Thor carried Loki from the field of battle, to the settlement of New Asgard, Norway. Here, where their people begun to build Asgard anew. _Their people_ , who had a chance to start over, while Loki did not. With great care, Thor washed Loki’s long hair and braided a lock of his own gold strands together with the black. It took a strength that Thor was not accustomed to invoking, to sew up the lifeless body by his own hands. And in the end, he dressed Loki as the Prince of Asgard that he had been.

It was a cold twilight to the day, and Thor is alone when he lights the pyre. None will mourn Loki as Thor does. He alone stands to watch the flames consume fabric, flesh, and bone for hours, well into the night, until there is only ash. But there is little comfort in this action. Thor is without his brother. Thor is without his other half. And though his body has been burned so that none can violate it again, Thor does not sense any rest for Loki’s soul. It does not rise to the stars.

Yet Thor knows what he must do. He must go to the realm of the dead, to Hel, to Valhalla, to Niffleheim, he must travel them all to find Loki’s soul and see that it is honored, and free from torment. And if he cannot find Loki’s soul in those realms, he will look for it elsewhere; he will not stop until he finds his brother.

So it is the following day, granting a favor, Doctor Strange opens a portal for Thor so that he might travel to the land of the dead. Once there, Thor will have to find his own way back, though will only do so if he is successful in his quest.

“My King, where do you go?” Heimdall sheathed his sword into the ground, near to where Mjolnir remained shattered, untouched since the day Hela crushed it.

“I am King no more. I am a man. A wanderer. A traveler, who will not rest until I have fulfilled my oath.” Thor says, wearing a dark and heavy cloak, armed only with courage.

“And what oath is that?” Heimdall asks.

“I have seen to my brother’s body. Now I must see to his soul.”

_Thor._

_Brother._

_Find me._


End file.
